Age dependency breakdown in Zambia
Zambia: Age dependency breakdown was 3.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.4%
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
234th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.7%
in 1980
All-time low
3.3%
in 2017
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Age dependency breakdown in Zambia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 3.4% for age dependency breakdown in 2023.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency breakdown in Zambia peaked at 6.7% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 2017.
Zambia ranks 234th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Age dependency breakdown in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.3% | — |
| 1951 | 5.4% | +1.5% |
| 1952 | 5.4% | +1.3% |
| 1953 | 5.5% | +1.1% |
| 1954 | 5.5% | +0.7% |
| 1955 | 5.5% | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 5.6% | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 5.6% | -0.0% |
| 1958 | 5.6% | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 5.6% | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 5.6% | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 5.6% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 5.7% | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 5.7% | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 5.8% | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 5.8% | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 5.9% | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 5.9% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 5.9% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 6.0% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 6.1% | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 6.1% | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 6.2% | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 6.3% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 6.4% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 6.5% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 6.5% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 6.6% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 6.6% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 6.6% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 6.7% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 6.6% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 6.6% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 6.5% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 6.4% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 6.3% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 6.3% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 6.2% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 6.1% | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 6.0% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 5.9% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 5.8% | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 5.7% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 5.6% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 5.5% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 5.4% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 5.3% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 5.2% | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 5.0% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 4.9% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 4.8% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 4.6% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 4.5% | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 4.3% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 4.1% | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 3.4% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 3.3% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 3.3% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 3.4% | +1.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 3.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 51% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 3.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.7%, 60% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.8% | 5.6% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.4% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1% | 3.6% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 231 Saudi Arabia 3.9% compare
- 232 Kuwait 3.8% compare
- 233 Oman 3.7% compare
- 235 United Arab Emirates 2.1% compare
- 236 Qatar 1.9% compare
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency breakdown in Zambia?
- Age dependency breakdown in Zambia was 3.4% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency breakdown recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 6.7% in 1980.
- What is the lowest age dependency breakdown recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 2017.
- How does Zambia rank for age dependency breakdown?
- Zambia ranks 234th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency breakdown rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age dependency breakdown. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).